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Planespeak
Astral Void: In Elemental oral tradition, the Astral Void was a region of emptiness from which the first powers birthed from the Astral Plane would create the Outer Planes. Conflicting versions of the creation myth along with ambiguity of the term in surviving oral traditions leaves uncertainty as to whether the Astral Void was literally a part of the Astral Plane, or whether the term is merely figurative for an empty, alien void. *Clods/Dirt Clods: A derogatory term used by Mineral natives when referring to inhabitants (particularly elementals, genies, and magical beasts) native to Earth. Such words can also be found among air-dominant elemental, paraelemental, and quasielemental planes, though to a lesser degree. *Fleshbag: A derogatory term used by some types of elementals to refer to creatures made of flesh. See Fleshling. *Flesh Baloon: A derogatory term used by Fire elementals and their other fire-subtype cousins to refer to non-native (usually Prime-native), non-fire-immune beings made of flesh. As mentioned in the 1E Manual of the Planes, Fire Elementals view such creatures as "giant water-baloons of flesh threatening to burst at any moment". *Fleshling: A derogatory term used to refer to creatures made of flesh. This includes mortal races, most forms of outsiders (such as fiends, celestials, mephits, and genies, though obviously not Modrons or Inevitables). Many, if not most elementals view themselves as superior to beings made of flesh and blood. *Great Mother/The Great Mother: Refers to the elemental's native plane; synomatous with "Mother Earth" (see my earlier post about Elemental Religion for details behind this). Mistaking this as a reference to the beholder Goddess is likely offend elementals (as well as Genies and Mephits who hold similar religious beliefs) greatly-- in many cases they will react with hostility. It should be noted that the word in native elemental languages for "Mother" used in this context, though feminine, does not exclusively denote female sex-- merely a feminine parental role. (Note: even the most non-pious of immortal races usually feel some degree of religious reverence for their native plane-- that even includes Tanar'ri and Yugoloths! After all, most immortal races know that it was from their home plane's essence that they were born, and, should they die, it is their home plane's essence that they shall return-- it matters not what means birthed them-- sexual, asexual, via petitioners, or literally/spontaneously from the plane's essence, the ultimate origin is all the same.) "A mephit is worth more than this/that/him/her/etc." or alternatively "Worth less than a mephit" (Elementals, Genies, other indigenous outsiders): Basically means that the subject in question is worth less than zilch (on most elemental, paraelemental, and quasielemental planes, the elementals and other native outsiders view mephits as inferior, sub-sentient beings. *Mother of All Beholders: The Elemental term for "The Great Mother" deity of Beholderkin. *Mother *element*: Same as "Great Mother". *Multiverse Traitor: A term also frequent among outer planar races (particularly the non-mortal ones) for alienists and other Multiverse natives who mess around with anything pertaining to the Far-Realm, the Sleeping Ones, and some other nasties commonly known as "Elder Evils", along with other "inimical, alien" aberrations such as beholderkin, illithidae, grells, and aberrations indigenous to the Far-Realm. Elemental natives, as well as even most outer planar natives (even Tanar'ri and Baatezu-- though not Obyrith) naturally find such creatures disgusting. This disgust, for whatever reason, does not extend to magically created aberrations and non-aberrations, however. *The Previous Age: Refers to a supposed "era predating creation itself", in which "a previous multiverse existed", with very different rules from the current one. The elementals were among the first races created in the current multiverse, and thus some oral traditions of the beginning of the creation cycle survive among the elemental races. *Rustpile, The: A derogatory term used by air-dominant natives (e.g. those of Air, Lightning, Ice, and Smoke) to refer to Sigil, which to them is a hideous place "polluted" with earth, rust, and metal. (most such beings have not stepped foot on Sigil, but have heard descriptions of it) *Sig: (Outer Planar inhabitants, inner planar inhabitants, non-Sigilian planewalkers) A universal derogatory term for Sigilians, particularly those who view Sigil as the Multiverse's greatest city, who refer to all other cities as "Berg", along with Sigilians who hold a condescending view of non-Sigilians. Generally denotes a person who is full of themselves, not-well traveled *and thus ignorant of the multiverse around them*-- a Sigilian who thinks they know everything, but who is, in fact, very ignorant and full of BS. These are the stereotypes of the average Sigilian. Some creatures refer to all Sigilians in this way, while others only use it as a pejorative to denote a Sigilian "with a superiority complex" or "an attitude problem". *The Sleeping Ones: God-like, alien beings that feature in the creation stories of both the Kuo-Toa and Elementals. Elemental oral tradition claims that they are beings from The Previous Age, who, for reasons which vary by version of the myth, went into a death-like state at the end of creation. Many of them went to sleep on the Paraelemental Plane of Ice (and likely other elemental planes as well), while many others went dormant in the "Astral Void". In all likelihood, the Sleeping Ones are better known as "Elder Evils" and their lesser minions. (note for DMs: the Sleeping Ones actually refer to the Draeden, a race of ultra-epic Cthulhu-like beings from the D&D Basic Rules Immortals Campaign setting, a subsetting for Mystara. A 3.5 version of the Draeden can be found on Vaults of Pandius, and no, it it not vastly overpowered, as these things were meant to be the ultimate challenging monster to the gods of Mystara, which the Immortals Campaign Setting allowed players to become and play as.) *The Stone Prison: (all indigenous elemental air native) A transliteration of the Auran word for the Elemental Plane of Earth. Note that most air elementals (including Yanny and Chan) are claustrophobic to some degree. Most air-kin (Djinni, Sylphs, etc.) are also somewhat claustrophobic, though it varies by species and individual. The strongholds of both Chan and Yanny are made of solidified air with only one or two exits, but both Yanny and Chan can freely 'glide' through solid air if they please. Note: In all elemental societies and cultures, words for the opposing element are viewed as mild to moderate (and sometimes severe) profanities. Telling or wishing someone to suffer under the opposing element is an often-spoken non-divine/arcane/etc. curse. (example: "May the winds grind him to dust!" by Earth elementals or "May you burn forever in Fire" by Ice Paraelementals). In general, elemental-based profanities follow the same rules as "damn!" and "hell!", though some are as severe as F-bombs. This rule applies not only to elementals, but also geniekind, mephits, and other indigenous species (e.g. salamanders) Also as mentioned earlier, elementals do not refer to bodyparts in their speech (e.g. "you break my heart", "that takes serious balls", "but I don't think you have the stomach for it", "he's of my own flesh and blood", "I feel it in my bones", "you cold-blooded traitor!", "if you had a brain, you'd be dangerous", etc). Mephits and genies do, however. Elementals (again as mentioned earlier) generally do not use gender-based or sexually-based insults, so insults are usually neuter and do not make references to the target's potency. Genies do use such insults, however. Most elementals do possess a sense of taste and smell, and therefore usually possess a profanity in their language for feces (and yes, it usually holds the exact same meaning in their language, e.g. synonym for rubbish), though it's important to keep in mind that comparisons to fecal matter are actually a compliment on the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze and can refer to something being delicious, nourishing, smelling wonderful, or just plain being/looking like food. Similar rules apply to shouting "Oh, what died in here?!" Chant Addle-Cove. Idiot. “Did you hear what that addle-coved wizard wanted us to do?” Bar That. Almost-polite way to say “shut up.” Often a warning: “Bar that, Jannos; there’s Dustmen over there.” Barmies. Insane folks, especially those in Sigil, who’ve been “touched” by the impossible bigness of the planes. Adj, barmy. Basher. Person viewed neutrally, usually a thug or warrior. Berk. Fool, especially one who got himself into the mess when he should have known better. Birdcage. Cell, or anything that compares to it. (Sigil, for instance.) Blinds. Dead-ends of the Mazes, or anything impossible or hopeless. “He’ll hit the blinds if he tries giving the laugh to the factol.” Blood. Anyone who’s an expert, sage, or professional at her work. A mark of high respect. Blood War. Eternal conflict waged between the baatezu and tanar’ri; Sigil often gets caught in the middle. Bob. Cheating someone out of cash, honor, or trust. A good guide to Sigil will warn a cutter when someone’s bobbing him. Bone-Box. Mouth. “Stop rattling your bone-box” is telling a berk to lay off the boasting. Bub. Booze, usually cheap and barely drinkable. A bubber is a drunk, especially one who’s fallen on hard times. Bubbers don’t get sympathy from most folks in Sigil. Burg. Any town smaller than Sigil, either in size or spirit. The Cage. Local name for Sigil; from the term birdcage, a pretty harsh (but common) judgment on the place. Case. House or place where a cutter lives. Clueless. Folks who just don’t get it, usually primes. Call a planar “clueless” and there’ll probably be a fight. The Chant. News, local gossip, facts, moods, what’s going on. “What’s the chant?” is a way to ask what news a basher’s heard. Coney. Poor sod who gets bobbed by a peeler; a naive person. Cross-Trade. Thieving and other shady or illegal businesses. Cutter. Anybody a person wants. Suggests a certain amount of daring and resourcefulness; a lot better than calling someone a berk. Dark. Secret. “Here’s the dark of it” is a way to say “I’ve got a secret and I’ll share it with you.” Demiplane. Finite plane; one with definite borders. Exemplar. Race of outsiders that personifies one of the nine alignments: archon (LG), guardinal (NG), eladrin (CG), modron (LN), rilmani (N), slaad (CN), baatezu (LE), yugoloth (NE), and tanar’ri (CE). (unofficial) Faction. Philosophical group led by a factol. Faction agendas make for intrigue and conflict, especially in Sigil. Factol. Leader of a faction. Factor. High-up in a faction, intermediate authority between the factol and the factotums. Factotum. “Full-time” faction member, anyone who considers her faction the most important thing in her life. A step up from namers. Garnish. Bribe. “Give the petty official a little garnish and he’ll go away.” Give ‘Em the Laugh. Escape or slip through someone’s clutches. Robbing a baatezu without getting caught is giving him the laugh. Give the Rope. What they do to criminals who don’t give the law the laugh. Usually used by criminals only. The Great Road or the Great Wheel. The ring of Outer Planes surrounding the Outlands, and the portals linking them together. High-Up. What everybody in Sigil wants to be: somebody with money and influence, such as the factols. It’s bad form to call yourself a high-up; others bestow this honor upon you. In the Dead-Book. Dead. Some people have others “put in the dead-book.” Jink. Money. “Can’t buy a drink if you ain’t got the jink.” Jinkskirt. A prostitute. (unofficial) Kip. Any place a cutter can put up her feet and sleep for a night, especially cheap flophouses in the Hive. Landlords of good inns get upset if a berk calls their place a kip. Knight of the Post or Knight of the Cross-Trade. Thief, cheat, and a liar – not a compliment, unless you enjoy your bad reputation. Kriegstanz. “Undeclared war,” term describing relations between the factions in Sigil (that is, tense and complex). Leafless Tree. The gallows, which is where some berks wind up when they get scragged. Leatherhead. Dolt, a dull or thick-witted fellow. Lost. Dead. If “she got lost,” she ain’t coming home. The Mazes. Nasty little traps the Lady of Pain creates for would-be dictators. Also, any well-deserved punishment: “It’s the Mazes for him and I can’t say I’m sorry.” Multiverse. The whole flamin’ thing; all the infinite planes. Music. Price a cutter doesn’t want to pay, but has to anyway. “Pay the music or you ain’t getting out of here.” Namer. Faction member who wears the colors, but keeps clear of its plottings. Out-of-Touch. Sigilian term for somebody outside the Outer Planes. Also, Out-of-Town, somebody in the Outlands. Peel. Swindle, con, or trick. Peeling a demon is a bad idea; peeling a devil is nearly impossible. Peery. Suspicious, on one’s guard. What a basher should be if he thinks he’s going to get peeled. Pike It. All-purpose phrase. “Pike that talk.” “Take a short stick and pike it, bubber.” “Pike that!” and so on. Planar Path. Phenomenon that travels between planes with no apparent portals or rifts. The River Oceanus, the River Styx, Mount Olympus, and Yggdrasil are examples. Though the Infinite Staircase has doors to other planes, it is often considered a planar path. Plane. World or collection of worlds, infinite in size, which operates according to its own laws, including those governing magic and morals. Scragged. Arrested or caught. Sect. Like a faction, but with a more limited area of influence (usually not Sigil). Sod. Unfortunate soul. Use it to show sympathy for an unlucky cutter, or sarcastically for some stupid berk. Spiv. Someone who makes a living by her wits alone. Tout. Non-faction guide to Sigil. Turn Stag. Betray somebody or use treachery. Saying “he’s turned stag” is about the worst thing you can say about a cutter. Category:Languages